Storm shutter for awning windows



July 16, 1968 M. LUKE STORM SHUTTER FOR AWNING WINDOWS.

Filed May 4, 1966 INVENTOR.

M/V' 0K5 BY NM1 .TTR/VEY United States Patent() 3,392,486 STORM SHUTTERFOR AWNING WINDOWS Manuel Luke, 1466 NE. 53rd Court, Fort Lauderdale,Fla. 33308 Filed May 4, 1966, Ser. No. 547,552 1 Claim. (Cl. 49-62)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally toprotective means for windows. In particular, the invention relates tothat class of article known as storm shutters for awning-type windows.

Storm shutters are used in those geographic locations that arefrequently subject to hurricanes, heavy driving rains, or t-he like.Shutters of this type are also installed where a dwelling is to beclosed for a considerable length of time such as during an oit-season ina resort area. The shutters are intended -to protect the glass windowsfrom damage that would normally result from a heavy rain or windstorm.In addition, they block out the suns rays to prevent fading of interiorfurnishings.

The prior art in this eld does provide shutter means for protectingglass windows. However, it is frequently necessary to drill into themasonry Walls of the building in order to provide mounting means toattach the shutter. Alternatively, the frame of the movable portion ofthe window is drilled tout, studs are installed and nuts are used tosecure the shutter to the window frame. Several shortcomings of theprior art systems just described are immediately apparent.

In addition to the hazards involved in installing the prior art devicesin multistory buildings, the cost is prohibitive. A crew which isusually comprised of two men must enter each individual dwelling inorder to aix the mounting hardware for the shutter. Where the mountingmeans are applied to the movable portion of awningtype windows, at leastfour studs and nuts are required for each window. Even for a singlestory dwelling, it can be seen that this requires a tremendous amount oflabor time. The hardware that is used with the prior art devices couldeasily be dropped and lost while the shutters are rapidly being put inplace. In addition, each shutter, `because of this type of construction,must be custom fitted to each window and must be marked suitably inrelation to the particular window. Accordingly, the shutters are notinterchangeable with each other.

The prior art shutters are very often difficult to install. The holes inthe shutter must be matched to the mounting hardware. Where the shutteris to be installed in a tall building, this could present a problembecause the work must be done from inside the building. The shutterscould easily be dropped when they are being manipulated into place. Eventhough certa-in geographical areas such as .the southeastern portion ofthe United States, and particularly the coastal states, are givenadvance warnings of an impending hurricane, it is still necessary toinstall the shutters quickly. Time kis an important factor and becauseof constructional characteristics of the prior art devices, there couldconceivably be a time lag before all the shutters were installed.

A specific example of a prior device is disclosed in 3,392,435 PatentedJuly 16, 1968 ICC U.S. Patent No. 2,631,698 issued to R. R. Buckwalteron Mar. 17, 1963. While this device does cure some `of the difficultiesmentioned above, it still retains other shortcomings. For example, oneflange used -to secure the shutter to the -window must be preassembledat the factory at some additional cost. The opposite flange is securedto the shutter by means of studs and wing nuts. While this second flangeis included to provide a measure of adjustability, there is also thelikelihood that the hardware can become lost during an emergency such asthe approach of'a hurricane. It is obviously undesirable to have tostart hunting for suitable hardware at that time.

The present invention is particularly characterized by the completeabsence of any mounting hardware. Consequently, no drilling, tapping, orfactory assembly of any type is required. The invention is comprised ofa substantially flat panel member that covers the movable portion of thewindow in question and is retained thereon by separate and removableclip members. The panel which may be provided with stiiening ribs is asimple stamping and the clips may be eXtrusions. Not only is themanufacturing simplied, but the packaging and distribution of theproduct are simplified.

The instant storm shutter is very simple to install primarily because nohardware is required. While this feature is evident for allinstallations, it is particularly advantageous in conjunction with tallbuildings. Using ladders is impractical and leaning out of the windowsto match mounting holes or affix fasteners is dangerous. The presentinvention can easily and very quickly be installed frorn inside thewindow without hard-ware or special skills of any kind. Of particularimportance is the fact that the panels need not be marked forinstallation with a particular window. The panels can be made in variousstock sizes and are completely interchangeable. Sulicient dimensionaltolerances are included to overcome manufacturing variances in thewindow frame. While plastic may be used for the product, it is presentlypreferred to use either stainless steel, aluminum or other noncorrosivemetal.

Another striking difference between the present invention and the priorart currently available is the fact that the storm shutters to bedescribed hereinafter may be produced at an exceptionally low cost, withno installation cost, whereas the prior art device now being used costsseveral dollars per window to install. The savings to the consumer arequite evident when it is realized that a single four-bay, six panelwindow installation requires 24 shutters. In contras-t to thisinvention, the high unit cost discouraged widespread acceptance of priordevices.

'Several optional features may be included in the construction of thepresent invention. In the side areas of Athe panel, there may beprovided a rib and one of the legs of the U-shaped retaining clips maybe provided with a mating detent. Thus, in addition to the clampingaction usually provided when the clip and panel are captured, the ilangeof the closed window, the rib and the detent will also serve to lock theclips and panel together. It is also contemplated to provide anoutwardly projecting It is another object to provide a low cost stormshutter.

Still another object is to provide a storm shutter that may be installedwithout resorting to the use of hardware.

A further important object is to provide a storm shutter that does notrequire marking and mating with a particular window.

Yet another object is to provide a storm shutter that does not requirecustomized installation and which is interchangeable with outershutters.

An additional object is to provide po-sitive locking means on the stormshutter of the type described.

Another feature of this invention is the inclusion of integralrain-delleetmg means.

Still another feature of this invention is the inclusion of integralsealing means coacting with an adjacent storm shutter.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will,in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, becomeobvious from the following more detailed description of the inventiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms anintegral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing, like reference charactersdesignate like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing an improvedstorm shutter, installed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, horizontal, sectional view taken along line 2 2of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, exploded, perspective view of the severalcomponents comprising this invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional, plan view illustrating an optionallocking feature of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, elevational view of a different optionalfeature directed to the deection of rain water;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, elevational view of another optional featurethat provides sealing with respect to another storm shutter;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of still another optional feature thatassures the association of a storm panel and two clips at all times; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a form of safetywiring that may Ibe used with the embodiment of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a storm shutter 10is shown installed over an awning-type window A provided with a flange Fextending on at least two opposed sides thereof. While the presentinvention may be adapted to other windows such as easement types, thepresent discussion will be directed to windows that are hinged at thetop and which pivot outwardly from the building. It is to be understoodthat the awning-type window illustrated is used by way of example onlyand that the environment of the present invention is in no way limitedthereto.

The storm shutter 10 is comprised of a panel member 12 dimensioned tocover the glass por-tion G of the window and extend approximately to theedge of the window flanges. Preferably, the panel is between 0.04() to0.051 inch thick aluminum and may include several stitfening ribs 14. Atypical standard window to which the storm shutter may be applied is 36inches long by 12. inches wide. The panel member would havesubstantially the same dimensions.

The retaining clips may best be seen in FIG. 3. Two clip members 16 areused, one on each vertical edge of the panel and frame. Clip member 16is substantially U- shaped in cross section and is comprised of a firstinside leg 1S, a second outside leg 20, and an arcuate connectingsection 22. Legs 18 and 20, which are typically 3A inch and 1 inch long,respectively, converge at the end opposite the connection section. Thedimension between the converging ends of the clip member is somewhatless than the total thickness of the window flange and the storm panelin order to provide a good interference ilt.

To install the window shutter, all that is required is to hold the panelagainst the window with one hand and slide a clip member over the sidewindow flange and the edge of the panel. After the rst dip is in place,the same procedure is applied to th'e opposing vertical edge of thewindow frame. When the window is closed and locked by conventionallatching means, the retaining clip will securely hold the panel over thewindow glass. The clips are captured between the window flange and thestationary window frame thus precluding the possibility of the panelfalling out. It is apparent then that without the use of any hardware,the present invention may be easily and quickly installed. Further, itwill be seen that since no mounting holes are needed, the panels neednot be married to any particular window.

In FIG. 4, additional locking means are illustrated. Panel l0 isprovided with a vertical rib 30 during the stamping operation. In oneleg of clip member 16', a mating detent 34 is provided. When the clipmember is placed over the window flange and the panel, the rib anddetent will engage to provide secondary holding means. While thisconstruction is most practical from a manufacturing point of view, thescope of this invention also includes placing the rib on either leg ofthe clip with the mating detent being placed on the panel.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate additional, optional features that may beemployed with this invention. Panel 36 (FIG. 5) is provided on itslower, transverse edge with an outwardly extending flange 38. Thepurpose of the ange is to deflect any rain water that hits the face ofthe panel whereby the water is prevented from running down `behind thenext lower panel. In FIG. 6, panel member 40 is also provided with anoutwardly extending flange 42 and in addition has a second downwardlydepending llange 44 extending along substantially the entire lowertransverse edge of the panel. Flange 44 covers the top transverse edgeof the window directly below. This construction, in addition todeilecting rain as described above, provides a measure of sealing.

Throughout the specification, emphasis has been placed on the fact thatthe present invention requires no mounting hardware at all. While thisis true and is a very important feature of the invention, an alternativestructure will now be described that provides means to connect a panelmember with two clip members.

Referring now to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, panel 50 is provided with a smallaperture 52 proximate two opposed sides thereof. Clip members 54 arealso provided with an aperture 56. A safety wire 58 is secured in theapertures so that prior to installation, a clip member is looselyconnected to two opposed sides of the panel member. It should also benoted that preferably aperture 52 is on a raised boss that is on aportion of the panel tha-t is clear of the clip when assembled and thataperture 56 is on the outwardly turned lip of the clip member leg. Thisassures that the panel will lay flat on the window and precludes thepossibility of a hurricane force wind from lifting the panel.

The term safety wire is used herein only in its broadest sense. As shownin the greatly enlarged view of FIG. 8, the safety wire may be apolypropylene member having a central body portion 60 of say, 1/16 inchthick, and two enlarged ends 62. Apertures 56 and 56 would be slightlylarger than the safety wire body portion but smaller than the endportions thereof. Thus the yieldable ends of the safety wire could beforced into the apertures and thereby connect a panel to the two clipmembers. Of course the body portion would be long enough to permit thefree manipulation of the clip members onto the window flange and panel,as previouslydescribed.

It should be clearly understood that the connection means just describedcannot be equated with fastening means. This invention does not requirethe use of fastening means such as nuts, bolts, rivets, etc., to attachthe panel to the movable portion of the window frame. The connectionmeans are provided `only as a convenience to assure that each panelmember has a pair of clip members associated therewith. This minorassembly need not be done at the factory since it .is well within theskill of any homeowner.

From the foregoing, it will be qui-te evident that the present inventionis far simpler to manufacture and install than the prior art presentlyavailable. Without using any hardware whatsoever, the panels may beinstalled very quickly in the barest minimum of time. Of particularimportance to the homeowner is the fact that the storm shutters need notbe custom installed. Stated another way, the storm shutters do not haveto be marked for installation with a particular window. The constructionof this invention simplifies manufacture of the storm shutter andthereby substantially reduces the cost of the item to the homeowner orultimate user. The present invention provides as an optional feature,secondary locking means without additional structure and also includesmeans to deflect rain wa-ter. Sealing means may also be included as anoptional feature.

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the inventionpresently contemplated and it is to be understood that various changesand modifications may `be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A storm shutter for a glass window of the type hav- (a) a panelmember having length and width dimensions not greater than comparabledimensions of the window flange, said panel member when installed beingadapted to overlay and cover the glass in the window;

(b) at least two separate retaining members each adapted to grasp andreleasably clamp an edge of said panel member and a window ange wherebythe window glass is protected by said panel member; and

(c) connection means loosely joining a said panel member to two of saidclip members, wherein said connection means comprises an elongatedmember having enlarged, resilient, end portions received and retained inapertures in said panel member and said clip members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,480 3/1882 Webb.

768,565 9/ 1902 Linderman et al. 2,244,432 6/ 1941 Schwab 49-622,491,574 12/ 1949 Morgan 160-102 2,598,610 5/1952 Satz et al. 49--61 X2,627,95 1 2/ 1953 Mitchell 49-62 2,648,410 8/1953 Bedford 24-259 X2,742,679 4/ 1956 Young 49-61 X 2,976,593 3/1961 Exton 24-137 3,172,4193/1965 Lewis.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. P. C. KANNAN, AssistantExaminer.

